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14.7.14

'A THOUSAND' CHOICES FOR SHANGHAI'S NIGHTLIFE (NIGHTCLUBS) | SHANGHAI

(Photo of Bar Rough)

If pub/bar crawl in Shanghai (Read my previous post about those bars in Shanghai) is just appetizer for you, I guess you need another list of nightclubs as main course. I just recognized, in big Shanghai, there are two many nightclubs if you are having a serious exploring list on hand. You have Chinese nightclub along Heng Shan Lu, or you are searching for higher and luxury ones? Better to switch to Middle Huai Hai Road, coz you have Fu Xin Park, Xin Tian Di, and the ones along the Middle Huai Hai Road. If you are expat fellow, go to the Bund, and People's Square area, or another corner of Shanghai, French concession. I didn't visit a lot during my recent trip back to Shanghai, while I did frequently drop at several nightclubs during my stay, which makes me confident to say something about them.

I have to say, it is the best and favorite nightclub in Shanghai. On the rooftop of Bund 18, every nights from Thursday till Saturday, it always has a big crowd occupy the indoor lounge with a small dancing pool right below the DJ, and another punch of people stayed in terrace, more surrounding the middle bartender workplace. The highlights of Bar Rough, gonna be pore dancing for sure! The girls are just showing their 'superwoman' power right in front of you, on the table where you order drinks and lean on. Going inside, it is also amazing with a long central bar area where the bartenders and cashiers work so hard throughout the night, and the most exciting moment, would be 'the fire on the table'. Bar Rough is more European nightclub style with lounge concept as well, they do have door charge and the average drink costs the other 100RMB around (don't expect too high upon the drinks). Ladies Night is held on every Thursday, and before midnight, girls can have free cocktail without entrance fee.

The new and one of the hottest Chinese nightclub in town, and it has a celebrity effect because of its background from Nicole Tse. It is a modern, ironic, cool club with VIP chambers and normal one. I'm not sure whether the guys need pay for entering, while at least, two girls are welcomed for free. The events held in weekends are the big attraction, and always some international celebrities or famous DJs will be invited. The dancing pool can be right below the DJ or a little upstairs in the center area. All the stuff inside is high-ended and well designed, the service is awesome too, but sometimes you just cannot help to be affected by those sleeping (They are really in deep sleep!!!) guys or girls in sofa. But still, you will have a lot fun there, plus they have 4 big TV screens in the wall, which cheered almost all the people during World Cup night.

A new nightclub, just 3 floor distance to Bar Rough, in the M18. Once I stepped into the club, a familiar feeling comes to me, and I know this is another M1NT. It has a lounge area along the window, where you have a really fantastic Bund view, and it is far away enough to the noise from the dancing pool. The other side, is definitely, for party! Big square space for excited people show their awesome dancing steps. And there is a separated chamber which a small entrance, hiding in the backside of the whole nightclub, which I guess served as lounge or other VIP functions. M18 is quite similar, and even the same feeling as M1NT, but it is smaller and not that popular, while it is more like a dancing club where people switching between M18 and Bar Rough frequently in the same night.

As I have mentioned two nightclubs surprisingly located in the same building, you must have interest about this building! M18, like all other buildings along the Bund, is a culture and historical heritage of Shanghai. On the other side, it is the hotspot which shows Shanghai's modern and luxury lifestyle. It has art gallery, which contains a lot temporary workpieces; it has luxury brands; and it has the modern fine dinings like Mr & Mrs Bund and Hakkasan.

I haven't been to M1NT during my last visit in Shanghai, and actually it is just once time experience to be there; well seems M1NT is excellent enough to make me remember it even years gone. The long fish tank for sharks, is the label picture of M1NT. While actually it is just a covering wall of washing room. Why it is awesome, to me, it's the breath-taking night view of beautiful Shanghai through the 3-sides windows around the square-shape M1NT. And you will find the entrance is just in the middle, perfectly separate the nightclub into two different chambers where different DJs hold their nights (one of them is VIP). The large dancing pool in the middle is always too small, even clock goes to 3am.

Compared to the previous popular nightclubs, it is a little 'quiet'. Lola is definitely an European bar, lounge and nightclub. In the early night, it is quiet and speak-easy with cozy bar area and terrace. Normally, there will be some DJs invited to hold the weekend nights and it is starts from midnight.